Four years ago, islander Deja Starr started her business, Vashon Bodywork, with the intent to offer therapeutic massage to those suffering from everything from chronic pain and injuries to depression and anxiety.

As the years went by, she expanded to teaching bodywork classes for caregivers, offering yoga classes and working with both pre- and postpartum mothers. Now, she is expanding again by bringing Lapis & Luxe’s Kimberly Smoot on board.

Smoot is a licensed aesthetician who has offered skin care treatments, facials and peels, organic makeup and hair tinting and removal services with a focus on nutritional support since December 2015 out of her business in town. But the building between The President of Me and Sporty’s sold eight months ago and Smoot has decided to offer her services as an employee of Vashon Bodywork.

Smoot’s Lapis and Luxe will close this week — her last day in the space will be Thursday, May 25. All of the same services will be available from Smoot in the Vashon Bodywork office in the Cunningham Building at the corner of Bank Road and 100th Avenue beginning Thursday, June 1.

“The services aren’t disappearing, just the (Lapis and Luxe) name,” Smoot said last week.

The building Lapis and Luxe used to occupy was sold in September to Caffe Vitta owner Michael McConnell and his wife, Elizabeth Weber McConnell. The two also bought the old Fuller Store building in December 2015, but said they have no plans for the historic spot.

Smoot said the couple told her they are planning to open their own business in the former Lapis and Luxe building, but were very kind to let her stay until she finalized the current agreement with Starr.

“I don’t know exactly what they’re doing. All I know about them is they were awesome to me,” she said. “I put a lot of time and money into this space, but … I have to move on. My gift is leaving things better than I got them and whatever business goes in here next will have great karma.”

For Starr, the merge just makes sense. She said Smoot has the healing, holistic approach that Vashon Bodywork aims for. She said Smoot looked at moving into other spaces, but there weren’t many to choose from.

“Kimberly contacted me because our businesses are somewhat in the same vein and we put our two heads together and ended up making it (Vashon Bodywork) better. It’s expanding right now in a way that I’ve always wanted to go, but its been hard to find like-minded individuals,” Starr said. “The space will be transformed for full skincare, waxing, tinting and extra massage.”

Together, the two have served more than 1,000 locals.

“Combining these forces, I think people will be a little shocked,” Smoot said.

— Anneli Fogt